Will A Good God Really Send Bad People To Hell? Series

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Unquestionably, the Bible warns that the wicked will be turned into hell [see PSALMS 9:17 NKJV]. However, many contemporary Christians appear no longer to believe this warning to be true. Surprising numbers of professed believers have aligned themselves with Jehovah’s Witnesses, protesting, “Why, I wouldn’t throw a dog into a fire.” They imagine that this faux sensitivity somehow puts an end to any such consideration. Others have created a god according to their imagination—a god that is a benign, cosmic figure who smiles over his wayward children; yet, he can never quite bring himself to say “No!” to them.

Nevertheless, we are warned repeatedly in the Word that all who depend upon their own righteousness must give an accounting to God who is perfect. When fallen man stands before Holy God, he shall inevitably fail to measure up to the perfection demanded by the True and Living God. The Master warns, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” [LUKE 12:4, 5]!

Moreover, there is a dreadful warning presented in the Apocalypse. It speaks of the mankind’s rebellion at the end of the millennial reign of the Master. Satan and all the demonic powers will have been incarcerated throughout that idyllic period. However, they will be released, and when they are released, they will deceive the peoples of earth, inciting them to revolt in a vain attempt to dethrone the Son of God. They will seek to overthrow Him, only to meet utter defeat. The conclusion of the rebellion is told in REVELATION 20:10-15.

“The devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”